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(No Model.)

J. M. FINOH.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN AND FLOUR SAMPLER.

No; 291,474. Patented Jan. 1, 1884.

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Nv PETERS, Phala un m.

UNITED STATES Ori rc JOHN M. FINOH, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOE OFONE-HALF TO GEORGE S. BENNETT, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN AND FLOUR SAMPLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,474, dated January1, 1884.

Application filed March .21, 1883. (N0 model.)

To all whom it 77?/(1, 7/ concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. FINCH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Micht gan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Grain andFlour Samplers, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to take out or subtract, automaticallyand at regular intervals, samples of flour, grain, or other materialwhich is passing, practically continuously, through a conduit, in orderthat, when desired, an attendant may be able to determine the characterand quality of the material which was passing through said conduit atany specified predetermined hour.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a spout or conduithaving my automatic sample-catcher applied thereto, a portion of theinclosing-case having been broken away. Fig. 2 is an elevation, lookingin the direction of the arrow 1, Fig. 1, the door of the casing beingopen. Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the inner surface of the conduitover which the material is to pass, looking in the direction indicatedby arrow 2, Fig. 1, the upper wall of the conduit being removed. Fig. 4.is a transverse section taken on line or as, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a topplan view of the rotating compartment-case. Fig. 6 is a circularrotating plate which supports the compartment case, and Fig. 7 is a planview of a hinged cover.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

In the drawings I have represented my device as adapted for use inconnection with and applied to an ordinary flour or grain spout of aflouring-mill.

A represents a suitable clock-work or timemovement, so constructed andregulated that a vertical shaft, a, shall make one complete revolutionin a certain number of hourssay sixteen but as this clock may be of anydesired or usual construction which will answer the purpose, it need notbe specifically described.

B is a circular carryingplate mounted upon and rotated by the verticalshaft or spindle a, of the clock-work, and provided with three or moresprings, fingers, or clasps,b,which project upwardly from its uppersurface and engage with the outer walls of a compartment-case, O, whichis provided with a number-say sixteenof pockets or receptacles,c 0, (seeFigs. 1 and 5,) these pockets being formed by an outer and an innercircular wall and a series of radial partitions.

D (see Figs. 1, 2, and 7) is a cover, preferably circular in form, andadapted to cover the upper face of the compartment-case. The cover isprovided with a slot, (2, through which material passes into thecompartment-case, which is connected with the lower surface of theconduit or spout by means of a chute, to be described. By mounting thecompartmentcase upon the upper surface of the rotating plate, which iskeyed to the upper end of the driving shaft, I provide for the readyremoval of said case without disturbing any part of the drivingmechanism.

The parts thus far described I by preference support upon a suitableinclosing-case, consisting of side walls, E E, bottom F, and partitionse f, with a door, G, this inclosing and supporting case being, bypreference, made of such size and form as will adapt it to fit closelyand be attached to the under side of a flour or grain spout, the sidewalls, E E, projecting upward beyond the line of the door, andoverlapping the sides of the conduit, thus forming flanges by means ofwhich the device may be supported by screws.

I is a removable section of the lower wall of the spout, and has athreat a, (see Figs. 8 and 4,) formed therein at a point about midwaybetween the side walls.

J j is a chute connecting slot with the compartment-case, the part jconstituting an arc of a circle of which the pivot his the center. Thispivot is, by preference, attached to the under side of the removablesection I; but when preferred said pivot may be supported by bracketsfrom the horizontal partition f.

K is a guiding-sheet, its lower end being concave in form, as shown inFig. l, to insure that the material in passing down the spout shall beproperly directed, so as to pass over the slot 2", even though thestream of material may be small. It is apparent, however, that the sameresult substantially could be attained by constructing this guide ofwood or material other than metal. a By the employment of the rotatingcase and a stationary feeding-chute arranged eccentrically thereto, Iinsure a free and certain delivery of flour to the pockets, and alsoprovide a construction which can be placed in immediate contact with theunder surface of either an inclined spout or a horizontal conveyer,-even though the space for the reception of the machine be limited as toits height, it being apparent that much less vertical space is requiredwith my construction than would be necessary in case I used an inclineddelivery-chute which is required to sweep around the circumference ofthe machine, as is done in that class of devices wherein is employedstationary pockets and a chute which travels around a central shaft, itbeing also apparent that the presence of a central shaft which extendsup through the center of the horizontal compartment-case interferesseriously with the removal of the case from the machine for the purposeof examining its contents.

From an examination of the drawings it will readily be understood thatwhen this machine is operated each of the pockets 0 will in turn befilled with the material which is passing down the spout and over theslot 2', so that the operator can, by examining the contents of thesepockets, inform himself with great accuracy as to the quality of suchmaterial which was passing slot 2' during each and every hour that themachine was in operationa result which is very desirable, particularlywhen the machine is applied to a spout leading to the chest of aflour-packer in a mill, because it enables the mill owner or otherperson in charge to determine with accuracy the quality of the workwhich has been done in his absence, and at any portion of the timeduring which he has been absent or the machine has been in operation.The machine is also desirable for use in connection with a spout throughwhich grain is passing from cleaning machinery to a bin in a mill orelevator, to assist in determining whether the work has been properlydone; and when applied to a spout through which the refuse from eitherflour or grain has been passing it will enable the operator to detectany wastage which may have occurred. The compartment-ease may be rotatedwith a continuous movement, or with an-intermittent or step-by-stepmovement.

I am aware that an English patent of A. D. 1855, for time-checks, showsa horizontallyrotating compartment-case subdivided into a series ofreceptacles by means of substantially radial partitions mounted upon avertical shaft in such manner that by removing the throat or passagethrough which the tickets pass into the compartments, together with thetop of the casing, and the bearing which is essential as a support forthe upper end of the vertical shaft, the horizontal compartment case canbe taken out.

I am also aware that a stationary compartment-case containing a seriesof receptacles arranged around a common center has been employed incombination with a hopper and a delivery-spout the upper end of which isarranged in line with the center of the compartment-case, and amechanism which moves the lower end of the delivery-spout in a circularpath, so that material may be deposited inthe receptacles successsively;but it is apparent that my construction possesses many advantages oversuch prior machines. For instance, my device can be placed below any oneof the common forms of horizontal conveyers, from the bottom of whichmaterial can be conveniently abstracted through an opening or throatformed therein, and can be placed in very close proximity thereto, thusenabling me to use it in many locations where a sampler could not beplaced with a revolving feed spout or chute. So, also, I am enabled touse a stationary cover, D, by means of which to protect the compartmentsagainst the accidental introduction of dirt or dust from the mill, suchcover being hinged to a stationary part of the device; and, again, myconstruction is much more durable than one having such a rotating spentas has been heretofore used, because of the wear which would necessarilyensue at the junction between the stationary part or hopper of the spoutand the traveling portion, in case a suitably tight joint were made atthat point.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In an automatic grain and flour sampler, thecombination of an inclosing-casing, a rotating vertical shaft, ahorizontal carryingplate mounted on the upper end of the shaft, acompartment-case provided with pockets arranged around a common centerand mounted on the upper surface of the carrying-plate, means forconnecting the case with the hori zontally-rotating carrying-plate andpermitting its removal therefrom, and a stationary feeding-chutearranged eccentrically to the compartment-case, substantially as setforth.

2. In an automatic grain and flour sampler, the combination of ahorizontallyrotating carrying-plate provided with upwardly-projectingfingers, and a compartment-case provided with a series ofcircularly-arranged pockets supported upon and carried by the rotatingplate, substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic grain and flour sampler, the combination of aninclosing-casing, a hori-' zontally-rotating carrying-plate mounted uponthe upper end of a driving-shaft, a removable compartment-caseprovidedwith pockets arranged around a common center, means forconnecting the casewith the rotating plate and permitting its removaltherefrom, a feeding chute, and the feeding-chute provided with a chutearranged eccentrically to the eon1part curved portion, j, formed on anarc of a circle merit-case, and the cover adapted to close the describedfrom the hinge of the cover, substanopen upper ends of the pockets, andprovided i tiaiiy as set forth.

5 with an opening for the feeding-chute, sub- In testimony whereof Iaffix my signaturein 15 stantially as set forth. presence of twowitnesses.

4. In an automatic grain and flour sampler, J OHN M. FINGH. thecombination, with the horizontally-rotat- 1 XVitnesses: ing removablecompartment-case, the hinged G. R. BYRNE,

10 cover provided with a slot for the feeding- 7M. M. THOMPSON.

